“Hey Bri, it’s me…I just landed in California. I’m sorry that I took off on you guys like that. Please pass this message on.”
Nick clicked the off button on his phone and pulled a baseball hat over his blond hair. Looking around to make sure that he had been as sly as possible, Nick made his way to the street and hailed a cab. On his way to the hospital, Nick’s nerves were jumbled in every which way. He wasn’t sure how Mackenzie would act towards him, or even if Mackenzie was alive. At St. Anthony’s, Nick entered through two huge sliding doors into a lobby where he quickly asked at the desk where Mackenzie Roberts’ was being kept.
“I’m sorry sir,” the women behind the desk replied. “Visiting hours are over for day. Try back tomorrow; 10-2 PM.”
Nick shouted, a little louder than he had wished, “I have to see her, you don’t understand.”
“I’m sorry sir,” the women repeated. “Not today.”
“Fuck this,” Nick muttered under his breath. Before anyone could say another word, Nick had found the elevator and punched the number for floor 10.
The scene upon Nick’s arrival was horrible. People were shouting as a hospital bed was being wheeled around corners by a team of doctors. Two or three people dressed in surgical scrubs were running after the bed as it was being pushed through the hall. Nick immediately recognized the person being wheeled as Mackenzie. “I’m too late,” he agonized softly, tears welling up in his eyes. It was then that Nick saw Mackenzie’s mother, Linda sitting in one of the chairs down the hall, her face buried in her hands. Without thought, Nick ran over to Mrs. Roberts. “What happened?!” he yelled. “What’s going on?!”
Mrs. Roberts jumped at the sound of Nick’s voice. When her vision cleared enough through the tears to make out Nick’s features, she quickly stood up wrapped her arms around him. “My baby,” she said over and over. “My dear sweet Mackenzie.”
Nick tried his best to soothe Mackenzie’s mom, but he found that task to be impossible as tears began to stream down his face. “What happened?” he repeated through a strained voice.
“Oh Nick! She had been on new radiation this week. Everyone thought that she was going to get better but today when I went to see her, she was extremely pale. When I sat down next to her, she began to cry and say things like, “I’m gonna die Momma,” and “Why doesn’t he love me enough to come see me as I die?” Then she went into cardiac arrest and flat-lined. They tried to resuscitate her but it was no use. That scene that you just saw was my baby being rushed to surgery to repair a heart that can not be mended in more than one way.”
The words hit Nick with a force that was almost physical. He had caused Mackenzie to flat-line and if she couldn’t hold on, he would be responsible for her death. “I’m sorry,” Nick sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Nick,” Linda began, choking back sobs. “It’s not you’re fault Mackenzie got cancer and it’s not your fault that Mackenzie went into cardiac arrest. You and her got in a fight and both of you took measures that were too extreme for the situation.”
Nick could do nothing but stand there and hold Mackenzie’s mother as both of them continued to cry for a life that may never return.
Mackenzie felt as though she was being held down and floating at the same time. She could barely hear the shouts of doctors and surgeons around her but none the less, she knew that she was in trouble. She had put so much emotional strain on herself because of the problems between her and Nick that it had turned into physical harm. Suddenly, Mackenzie felt the presence of a bright, white light. She felt at peace as she followed it with her eyes.
“We’re loosing her!” shouted Dr. McCain. “We’re loosing her.”
“God damnit!” screamed one of the other nurses.
“I need a stat…now!”
“65/100 and dropping.”
“Give me 100 CC’s of Anethanine.”
“CC’s dropped.”
The monitor continued to show a heartbeat that was slowing to the point of extreme danger. All of the sudden, it flat-lined.
“Damnit! Get me the paddles!” Dr. McCain screamed. She squeezed gel on to one of them and rubbed the paddles together as the electricity began to surge through the machine. “Clear!” One shock. Nothing. “Give me 140!” Two shocks. Still nothing. “160..” The procedure continued until 240. Finally, after the 9th shock, the heart monitor showed a faint beat. “Get this girl stable.” McCain ordered viscously. “Now!”
The four remaining Backstreet Boys jogged off stage and into the back room, which was already a mess of stage hands, dancers, and management. “Check your messages for Nick.” AJ told Brian.
Brian slowly pulled his cell phone out of his gym bag and dialed the number for his voicemail. He had 4 messages and the last one was from Nick:
“Hey Bri, it’s me…I just landed in California. I’m sorry that I took off on you guys like that. Please pass this message on.” Brian ended his voicemail call. “Nick says that he’s in California and that he’s sorry that he…” Brian was interrupted by the ring of his cell phone which was still cradled in his palm. He responded to the looks by pushing the CALL button on the phone. “Hello?” “Bri,” a voice strained. “It’s Nick.”
“Nick!” Brian said loudly enough so that everyone could hear. Immediately, the talking died down and only whispering could be heard as everyone glanced from face to face in worry. “How’s it going? Is everything all right.” Brian could tell by Nick’s voice that something was wrong.
“She’s gone,” Nick said. “She went into cardiac arrest two minutes before I got here.”
Brian was speechless.
“What’s up?” AJ asked as if everything was optimistic rather than the obvious.
Brian shook his head, which meant “not now” and waited for Nick to speak. When he didn’t, Brian asked. “So I take it she was rushed to surgery…how long has she been in there.”
“I don’t know,” Nick sobbed. “I’ll never forgive myself Bri!”
“Calm down Nick. Just keep on praying. The doctors will do everything they can and we will try our best to make it there tonight.”
Kevin looked at Brian. He knew that it wasn’t good if Brian was promising to try and make it tonight. Brian hung up the phone moments later. “She went into cardiac arrest and she was rushed to surgery. It doesn’t sound good guys.”
Backstage went silent. No one even breathed. Finally, Kevin spoke up. “Then we have to make it there tonight.”
AJ and Howie nodded in agreement. Brian was already tossing things in his gym bag in an effort to leave as soon as possible. Finally, twenty minutes later, the four remaining Backstreet Boys were on their way to Los Angeles, California.
Chapter Twenty
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